Name:

Job title and company:

We use cutting edge artificial intelligence to materially change a business’s understanding of their customers, which leads to a step change in performance.

What are the company’s unique selling points?

IHQ provides a deeper understanding of customers and the ability to rank and quantify someone’s interests with such granularity that we know that Jack prefers H&M, for example, over Gap by a factor of 0.3.

This interest driven insight provides a human level of understanding. The end result: marketing that is more relevant, personal and effective.

Performance, performance, performance!

Within the last six months/year, what stands out as the company’s major milestones?

We are delivering amazing performance for many of our customers, including Sky Italia.

We have raised a new £5 million funding round, taking us to over £22 million; we are launching a new Insights Dashboard that reveals the unexpected by finding hidden relationships and affinities and we’ve grown from 25 staff to 40.

Duration in current role?

Four years.

Where are you based?

Near Goodge Street, London.

Have you worked at any other performance marketing companies?

None – but I’ve spent my life in data and analytics.

What are your main job responsibilities?

As CEO, managing the vision, growth and operations of the business.

Take us through what you get up to on a typical working Monday

Actually my Monday starts on a Sunday evening! This is when I review all the weekly reports from across the business. I also set three priorities for the week and one major goal for each day.

In the morning I begin the day with a breakfast meeting with our VP of Marketing, Ruth Peters - usually with an Americano and light breakfast. I set aside the rest of the morning to work through the one major goal.

At lunchtime, I would normally have a quick take-out or a working lunch.

On a typical Monday afternoon I have a series of meetings with key staff members, deal with emails and set up my revenue generating aims for the week.

The day ends, well, anything from 7.30 to very late!!

What top three websites can you be found browsing during your lunch hour?

None! Please see above…

What are your top three tips for someone looking to get their hands on a job like yours?

You must be able to make the seemingly impossible possible and have the drive to bring people with you on that journey. To do this they must:

Get the right people on their team.

Choose their focus and priority.

Be prepared to pay the utmost attention to detail.

​One more:

Be a strong leader but also a good listener.

Career-wise, where do you see yourself in three years’ time?

I’d like to say on a beach in Bali, but in all seriousness there’s so much excitement and opportunity about the business at the moment, that I can’t imagine doing anything but being here and helping it grow.

Tell us one thing people at work don’t know about you?

Having grown up in Kenya, I do a mean African accent!

Continue the conversation

Mark Jones

Mark manages all aspects of editorial on PerformanceIN as the company's Head of Content, including reporting on the fast-paced world of digital marketing and curating the site’s network of expert industry contributions.

Originally from Plymouth, Mark studied in Reading and London, eventually earning his Master's in Digital Journalism- before making his return to the West Country to join the PI team in Bristol.